The present invention relates to a tea/coffee pot comprising a pot body designed to be filled with a liquid, and a strainer body which is arranged therein and is pivotable by means of a handling device between a submerged position and an emerged position and which comprises at least one compartment for receiving an additional substance, such as tea leaves, ground coffee, or the like.
A generic tea pot comprising a tea receiving device is known from DE 44 32 547 A1. Said hollow semispherical pot is provided in the area of its handle with a pivot bearing in the form of an upwardly oriented, projecting flat body. The pivot bearing is arranged at the upper end of the handle and serves to receive an opening of a pivot lever whose one end has arranged thereon a spherical strainer body. The opening inside the pivot lever is positioned in the central area of the pivot lever, but at a greater distance relative to the strainer body than to the opposite end. The lever portion which is designed as a handling device at the other side of the opening is adapted to the contour of the handle and can be locked thereonto. In the non-locked state, the strainer body is in a downwardly pivoted position so that the body can be submerged, for instance into hot water, if necessary (submerged position). The strainer body is located in this position near the bottom of the pot body. The strainer body is pivoted upwards into a position substantially above the water surface (emerged position) by a user pressing onto the upper side of the handling portion of the pivot lever. As soon as the handling area has come into contact with the outer contour of the handle, a locking operation is performed by means of an arresting device, so that the strainer body is held in this lifted position.
Such a configuration has the drawback that a relatively long lever arm section must be present between the pivot bearing and the strainer body to sufficiently lift and lower the same. However, to prevent any disturbing action of the handling area of the lever arm, the arm must not exceed a specific length in practice. This results in disadvantageous lever ratios, whereby the force to be applied must be relatively high on the one hand. On the other hand, the force cannot be applied in very accurately metered amounts, so that the strainer body is sometimes virtually flung out of the liquid and is suddenly stopped by the abutment of the handling area on the handle. That is why an anti-splash means must be provided at any rate so that no liquid is thrown out of the pot. If the lid has been forgotten by mistake, this might have unpleasant consequences. Furthermore, such a solution is only suited for relatively flat and very broad pots because only with such pots can the desired distances be covered by the pivotal movement.
It is therefore the object of the present invention to improve a pot of the above-mentioned type such that the handling of the strainer body is improved.
In a generic pot this object is achieved in that the handling device comprises a pull element and that the pot body has provided thereon a guiding device in which the pull element is displaceably guided along a predetermined path for pivoting the strainer body.
Although it is already known in the prior art that in particular chain-like pull elements are used for transferring a strainer body from a submerged position into an emerged position, these elements were most of the time passed centrally through the lid of the pot and then dangled downwards on the outside, thereby presenting an obstacle in part. According to further constructions the handling device was additionally locked onto the pot so that the pull means was under a permanent tension. However, with these designs, an unlocking of the lid and serious scalds were observed in part because of the tensile stress of the pull element.
By contrast, the present invention has the advantage that the pull element is exactly guided in a guiding device and is displaceably guided along an exactly predetermined path. This means that the pull element is only displaceable along said predetermined path and does not freely dangle from the pot in the emerged position of the strainer body. Especially with children, freely dangling pull elements or pull elements that could freely be gripped outside the pot have so far been popular toys in the prior art, which partly resulted in accidents by the pot being knocked over due to pulling on the pull element.
Thanks to a diverse design of the guiding device, the invention makes it possible to predetermine the most different paths for movably guiding the pull element. Furthermore, a pulling force on a pull element can be dosed much better, and because of the fact that there is no gearingxe2x80x94in contrast to a pivot lever system, the displacement movement of the pull element can be converted into a direct vertical displacement of the strainer body. The risk of an accident is thereby reduced considerably.
A further essential advantage of the invention is of course the fact that no storage place has to be provided for the strainer body because said body can preferably be moved into a position which is within the pot and above the liquid level. Thus during the whole preparing and subsequent serving process the strainer body remains within the pot body so that the drinking pleasure is not lastingly marred by the cumbersome removal of a strainer body from the pot.
To avoid excessive loads on the pull element, for instance by a sliding movement along an edge, the pull element according to one variant is guided in longitudinally displaceable fashion in the guiding device along a curved path which is in particular convex relative to a pot axis. Thanks to the convexly curved path relative to the pot axis, the pull element remains near the pot so that guiding devices projecting to a superfluously wide extent need not be provided. A guiding along the outer contour of the pot is also possible with such a design. Furthermore, advantageous frictional conditions are created in the guiding device because in the case of a curved path there will be no abrupt rise in frictional forces.
Advantageously, the pull element may be a component which is substantially rigid and adapted to the path predetermined by the guiding device. The term xe2x80x9crigid componentxe2x80x9d is just to rule out entirely flexible pull elements, such as bands, cords, chains, or the like. The component should be designed such that it does not change its shape in the unloaded state. All of the disadvantages inherent to such flexible pull elements are thereby eliminated. The pull element and the guiding device may be designed as components which can be telescoped into one another, so that a substantially hidden displacement of the pull element takes place, or a displacement adapted to the contour of the pot. Since the pull element is rigid, it can additionally receive bending forces, so that the element can freely project beyond a specific area in a direction transverse to its longitudinal extension. This is e.g. the case when the pull element in the submerged position of the strainer body is mainly moved out of the guiding device. It is thereby possible to assume the most different positions of the strainer body inside the pot body, even if the guiding device is arranged laterally on the pot.
Advantageously, the pull element in an emerged position of the strainer body can mainly be withdrawn into the guiding device and held therein. The bending load which, for instance, a rigid pull element is subjected to in the emerged position is thereby reduced to a very considerable extent. It should be borne in mind that in the emerged position the strainer body with its wet filling has a much greater weight than prior to submersion into the liquid.
As a rule, the prior-art pots have a lid which is detachably mounted on an upper pot opening. The lid can e.g. be inserted into the pot opening and screwed into or onto the pot opening. Furthermore, hinged lids are known that are e.g. pivotably supported at one side on the pot body. To be able to fill the pot body with liquid as much as possible and, nevertheless, to arrange at least the compartment filled with the additional substance outside the liquid, the lid may comprise an interior which is open towards the pot opening and in which the strainer body in the emerged position is arranged at least in part. This results in an additional displacement path for the strainer body and the filling level of the pot is thereby increased. Of course, the strainer body can be fully pivoted into the interior of the lid as well.
For an easier handling of the pot a handle may be arranged on the pot body, the handle forming at least part of the guiding device. Since the handle normally projects laterally from the pot body, there are enough possibilities of arrangement for accommodating a suitable guiding device which provides the desired displacement length of the pull element.
Advantageously, the path which is predetermined by the guiding device can therefore be adapted to the shape of the handle. Such a design is very well compatible with a curved design (sickle shape) of the pull element.
To displace the pull element in an easy way in the area of the handle and to simultaneously shift the strainer body between the submerged and emerged position, the handle may comprise a guide groove as part of the guiding device that substantially extends along the longitudinal extension of said handle and has displaceably supported therein the pull element, which is molded thereon accordingly, between a first position assigned to the submerged position of the strainer body and a second position assigned to the emerged position of the strainer body. The guide groove may e.g. also be provided in the interior of the handle, and in such a case access to the pull element must be provided for. This is a very compact embodiment because the same does not necessarily differ on the outside from conventional pots without a strainer body.
According to a variant the handle, the guide groove and the pull element may be curved substantially in the form of a circular arc and may be insertable into one another. A curved design in the form of a circular arc yields, on the one hand, an advantageous handle which can safely be gripped and, on the other hand, a e.g. rigid pull element can be displaced very easily along a circular path. It goes without saying that due to the displacement along a circular path the strainer body is displaceable not only in its vertical position, but also in its horizontal position.
The pot may be designed such that the upper pot opening is directly formed at the upper end of the pot body. The lid is directly mounted on the pot body. A corresponding spout can also directly be formed in the pot body. In a pot body of glass this can easily be accomplished with a corresponding shape. However, a drawback of such a glass body might be that when the lid is mounted or removed or upon contact of the glass spout with a vessel there might be some damage. To avoid such a damage, an attachment member may be mounted on an upper end of the pot body and may be formed at least with a spout and an upper pot opening. This attachment member may e.g. be made from plastics. Furthermore, the attachment member can be screwed, locked or glued to the pot body made, in particular, of glass. A sealing ring of rubber or the like may be arranged between attachment member and pot body for improved sealing.
For easier handling and manufacture of the pot the handle may be molded onto the attachment member.
In the case of a pot body without attachment member or also with attachment member, the handle can be also directly fastened to the pot body in a detachable manner.
In particular upon use of easily adhesive materials, such as glass, as the material for the pot body, the handle may also be glued to the pot body. This joining technique can be controlled very easily even at the temperatures prevailing in such a case.
To guide the pull element easily from the strainer body towards the handle, an opening for the pull element may be formed between lid and pot body or attachment member or in the attachment member, the opening being part of the guiding device.
A simple embodiment of the pull element, which is easily displaceable along the guide groove at the same time, may be a pull element made from a flat section having at least one slide surface which is movable along the guide groove.
For a simple manufacture of the handle with a corresponding guide groove, the groove may be formed from the outside of the handle. The flat section may e.g. be embedded in such a guide groove to be flush therewith. To this end, the guide groove in the handle may advantageously be substantially V-shaped in cross section and the flat section of the pull element may have a correspondingly adapted cross-section so that the pull element is substantially guided in the guide groove to be substantially flush with the outer contour of the handle.
It must here be regarded as an advantage when the pull element in the area of the handle comprises at least one handling device. Such a handling device may e.g. be a cam projecting from the flat section or an outwardly protruding eyelet or ring. Such a handling device can also be inserted at a later time into a corresponding bore in the flat section, in particular after passage of the pull element, through the above-mentioned opening. Moreover, the handling device can be secured in a detachable way.
To be able to secure the strainer body in a simple manner to the pull element, the element may be designed as a holding hook at its end assigned to the strainer body. Said holding hook can engage into a corresponding holding opening on the strainer body and can be detachably secured thereto.
In particular, in order to safely hold the strainer body in its emerged position and to prevent an automatic return movement into the submerged position, the guiding device and/or the handle may have assigned thereto an arresting device for fixing the pull element at least in its second position. Such an arresting device can be designed in different ways. It could for instance be a locking opening provided in the guiding device, which is engaged by a corresponding locking projection when the second position has been reached. A second locking opening may also be provided for fixing the submerged position.
For easily producing a corresponding arresting device, which automatically fixes the pull element in a second position, the arresting device may be designed as a constricted portion of the guiding device. Thanks to a simple frictional engagement between guiding device and pull element, the latter is thereby held in its second position and can nevertheless be displaced towards the first position by applying just a small force.
It is also possible to design the arresting device in the form of a locking hook on the pull element and of an associated locking nose in the guiding device. A specific position of the strainer body is then assigned to each locking position. In particular, the locking hook can be formed on the end portion of the pull element and the locking nose can be formed in the guide groove of the handle. The locking action is then performed in integrated fashion in the area surrounded by the handle and thus at a hidden place.
Advantageously, a separate locking nose may be arranged in the guide groove for each position of the pull element so that the pull element must just comprise a locking hook to occupy the different positions.
In particular in the case of a pot body made from glass, it is an advantage when the pot body comprises a lower base member connected to the handle and/or the attachment member. This base member may be a detachable part of the pot body and e.g. be made from plastics or metal in the case of a pot body made of glass.
The base member can be made detachable by the measure that the member is detachably clamped via a clamping mechanism to the lower portion of the pot body. Thus, for hygienic reasons the base member can be removed for cleaning purposes. As a rule, the pot body can also be put down without the base member so that a base member can alternatively be used for decorative purposes. The base member can also be designed differently with different decorations.
Furthermore, it is possible that the base member consists of a thermally stable material, in particular of metal. Stainless steel is here particularly suited. This embodiment has the additional advantage that such a pot can be put with its metal base on a pot warmer because the latter develops a considerable amount of heat which can easily be endured by the base member material.
To securely fasten the handle relative to the pot body, the pot body may be provided on its outside with at least one circumferential groove for receiving a wire secured with both of its ends to the handle. Such a wire surrounds the pot body along the circumferential groove, thereby securing the handle to the pot body thanks to the fastening of the two wire ends to the handle. Of course, two wires of this type may also surround the pot body in spaced-apart relationship with one another and be secured to the handle. The handle can be fixed in an improved way relative to the pot body when the two ends of the wire are guided laterally along the guide groove for the pull element in the handle into the vicinity of the lid.
The contact of the handle with the pot body can further be improved thereby and the pot can be carried more safely when the handle comprises an outer leg formed with the guiding device and an inner leg resting on the outside of the pot body, the legs being interconnected at their ends such that they enclose a grip opening. The grip opening is used for carrying the pot, and the outer leg can be gripped around with the grip opening.
To be able to connect the base member to the handle or on the attachment member, the base member may comprise a connection carrier extending towards handle or lid or attachment member along the outside.
To be able to fill and also to clean and empty the strainer body in a simple way, the body may be foldable and/or dividable into about two halves. As a rule, the strainer body is round or oval and unfoldable or dividable approximately along its equator. Preferably, the strainer body can be divided into a left and right strainer body half substantially in parallel with or in a plane formed by the pull element. In particular when a strainer body half is removed and the other one is still connected to the pull element, the pull element can be used together with the one strainer body half as a metering spoon or a scoop when a detachable connection has been chosen between guiding device and pull element.
The end of the pull element which is assigned to the strainer body may have arranged thereon a ring on which at least one of the two strainer body halves can be mounted and connected to the strainer body for the formation thereof. The strainer body halves can thereby be connected very easily to the pull element. Such a connection can be provided with an elegant design and is very interesting, especially with respect to hygienic reasons, because the transition between ring and pull element can be designed such that deposits cannot collect at said place.
To this end the at least one strainer body half can be connected by means of a bayonet-like catch either to the other half or to the ring. Such a connection can very easily be opened for filling the strainer body with additional substances.
In most cases an embodiment is adequate in which the one strainer body half is firmly connected to the pull element and the other strainer body half is detachably connected or connectable to the pull element. This if of particular advantage when the strainer body half which is firmly connected to the pull element is to be used together with said element as a metering spoon or a scoop. Moreover, the fixed strainer body half can be gripped in an improved way for detaching the other strainer body half and therefore serves as a handling device for opening and closing the strainer body.
For optical reasons and for an improved control of the interior of the pot, the pot body may be made from a transparent heat-resistant material, in particular glass.
For an easy displacement of the strainer body, in particular, along a curved path, it is advantageous when the pot body is bulged.
A plastic material is normally also used for the material of the lid, and the plastic material may be electroplated for an improved optical appearance. The lid can also be made from a thin metal.
As a rule, the pull element is madexe2x80x94like the above-mentioned wiresxe2x80x94from a metal, such as aluminum, steel, or the like. This is also applicable as a rule to the strainer body. A design of plastics is also possible.
Like the handle, the base member may be made from plastics or also metal.